Skip to main content

Sarbanes Questions Top Public Health Officials about the Trump Administration’s Efforts to Develop and Deploy COVID-19 Vaccine [Video]

June 23, 2020

At House Energy and Commerce Committee Hearing, Congressman Sarbanes Demands Transparency and Implores Officials to Avoid Conflicts of Interest in Cultivating COVID-19 Vaccine for the American People

WASHINGTON, D.C. – At a House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing today, Congressman John Sarbanes (D-Md.) questioned top public health officials, including National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, Assistant Secretary for Health ADM Brett P. Giroir, M.D., U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Stephen M. Hahn and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Robert R. Redfield, about the Trump Administration's efforts to quickly and safely develop a COVID-19 vaccine and make it widely available and accessible to the American people.

"The Trump Administration announced the launch of Operation Warp Speed to support rapid research and development of COVID-19 vaccines, therapeutics, diagnostics, and so forth," said Congressman Sarbanes. "… There's been some concerns raised about the venture, including potential conflicts among its leadership, conflicts of interest. Dr. Fauci you've had decades of experience leading public-private partnerships with pharmaceutical companies to develop the vaccines. Transparency is important, is it not, in these collaborations?"

See below for the Congressman's full remarks.

###